Science Cell Vocab

Cell membrane

Protective outer covering of all cells that regulates the interaction between the cell and the environment.

Cell theory

States that all organisms are made up of one or more cells, the cell is the basic unit of life, and all cells come from other cells.

Cell wall

Rigid structure that encloses, supports, and protects the cells of plants, algae, fungi, and most bacteria.

chloroplast

Green, chlorophyll-containing, plant-cell organelle that uses light energy to produce sugar from carbon dioxide and water.

cytoplasm

Constantly moving gel-like mixture inside the cell membrane that contains heredity material and is the location of most of a cell’s life processes.

Endoplasmic reticulum

Cytoplasmic organelle that moves materials around in a cell and is made up of a complex series of folded membranes; can be rough (with attached ribosomes) or smooth (without attached ribosomes).

Golgi body

Organelles that package cellular materials and transport them within the cell or out of the cell.

Host cell

Living cell in which a virus can actively multiply or in which a virus can hide until activated by environmental stimuli.

mitochondrion

Cell organelle that breaks down food and releases energy.

vacuole

A membrane-bound organelle within the cytoplasm of a cell that contains fluid, food, or metabolic waste.

lysosome

An organelle in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells containing degradative enzymes enclosed in a membrane

nucleus

Organelle that controls all the activities of a cell and contains hereditary material made of proteins and DNA; positively charged, cen-tral part of an atom.

organ

Structure, such as the heart, are made up of different types of tissues that all work together.

Organelle

Structure in the cytoplasm of a eukaryotic cell that can act as a storage site, process energy, move materials, or manufacture substances.

ribosome

Small cytoplasmic structure on which cells make their own proteins.

tissue

Group of similar cells that work together to do one job.

virus

A strand of hereditary material surrounded by a protein coating.

disease

A disorder of structure or function in a human, animal, of plant, especially one that has a distinctive group of symptoms, signs, or anatomical changes and often a known cause.

photosynthesis

Process by which plants and many other producers use light energy to produce a simple sugar from carbon dioxide and water and give off oxygen.

magnify

Make something appear larger than it is, especially with a lens or microscope.